Biomedical scientists use herpes to treat head and neck cancer
Monday 2nd August 2010
Biomedical scientists have developed a genetically-engineered cold sore (herpes) virus that has been used to treat patients suffering from cancer of the head and neck.
The team from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust have carried out a Phase I/II clinical trial on 17 patients.
In addition to the virus injection, patients also received courses of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Scientists designed the virus to multiply inside cancer cells before bursting and killing the tumour cells, it also releases a human protein that helps stimulate the immune system.
Results showed tumour shrinkage in 82.3 per cent of the patients administered with the treatment.
Follow-ups on the patients were carried out after an average of 29 months, which found that 82.4 per cent had not succumbed to the illness.
Principal investigator Dr Kevin Harrington commented: "This was a small study so the results should be interpreted with caution; however the very high rates of tumour response have led to the decision to take this drug to a large-scale Phase III trial."
In June, the ICR led a study about testicular cancer and uncovered three new genetic risk factors for the disease.
Written by Alex Franklin-Stortford
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